The Brightest Shade of Teal
by Vonlenska
Summary: And we can't help but laugh. Maybe it's because our silly joke, or maybe it's because we are happy, really happy. I bet for the second one.


**Disclaimer: ** I'm not Suzanne Collins so I don't own Finnick, nor Annie -and that's a shame, because they'd have been happy if I were to write Mockingjay. Really, I just finished Mockignjay and was all like, _WHY? WHY DID YOU DO THAT TO FINNICK?_ so well, here I am not knowing how to make a disclaimer properly, but I think you get the idea, right?

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><p>"Finnick, <em>we need to talk<em>." Annie's voice is ringing in my ears as I turn to my left to see her. She's sitting next to me, her apron tied in her waist and mismatching mitten covering her hands, –she was baking cookies, I can smell the cinnamon.

"Oookay…" I'm not very fond of that 'we-need-to-talk' thing –never was. It's just plain scary, if you know what I mean; someone comes randomly at you and says that, only to follow it with a deathly sentence that can jeopardize your whole life. Well, it's not as if Annie'd say something like this. She smiles and takes a deep breath before opening her mouth to speak again.

"Do you love me?" Now, I'm starting to get more scared. Of course I love her! She knows I love her –every freaking person in this world knows my love for her, for Annie Odair, former Annie Cresta… Former because we're married. MA-RRI-ED. That thing that you usually do with someone you're in love with.

"Of course I love you, Annie." She does that thing again; first smiles and then takes a deep breath before speaking again.

"How long has it been since we got married?"

"One year and a few months, isn't it?"

"Yes, one year and three months."

"Yeah, so… What's the matter, Annie? Have I done something wrong?" I'm thinking about some thing that I may have done to upset her, but I can't find anything. I'm not the perfect husband, but I'm very careful to not upset her… She has her own troubles and nightmares to add some more. But since we got married she's been better. She still has some kind of issues like the obsessive-compulsive disorder that have her ordering things at any time. I remember that night when she couldn't sleep until all the spoons in the kitchen were ordered by size… But that's quite acceptable, if you know what troubles she used to have.

"I… I'm… I'm late. Finnick, I'm late." At first I don't quite catch it. She's late, for what? Did she need to be somewhere? I don't get it. Annie stands up and goes to the kitchen when the oven rings. She then proceeds to put the tray with the cookies on the window's ledge to refresh them.

Annie likes to cook and bake, she's all girly doing that –well, she always is but that's not the point. The first time I met her after she won she was baking a cherry cake. Her house was full of food; cookies, apple and cinnamon cakes, roast beef, some kind of rice with lobsters and shrimps, chocolate mousse and limed chicken. A feast held for her sanity, I guess. Annie's mom, Sharon, told me that Annie was cooking obsessively since she arrived home, like if the cooking would make her erase her experience in the arena… I knew it well; I went fishing for a whole two weeks after I got home from the Capitol.

_Stop it, Finnick! You're supposed to be thinking about Annie 'being late' for something!_ I think to myself. Annie's late. Late, late, late, late, late… LATE FOR WHAT, ANNIE? It's not late for my birthday, nor hers, and not for any relative birthday. It's not late for Christmas. I see Annie's phone on the table, I stand up and walk to it –I'm not going to gossip her things, I want to take a look at the calendar! Her wallpaper is a picture of us, smiling on the beach. I open the calendar and watch what day is today, then I see a little dot under the number, I click on it and it shows me a note written by Annie. _"One month late." _My eyes grow wide with realisation; she's late for her period! One month late for her period meaning she's… "Annie! Annie!" I start running to the kitchen, where I'll find her. She's sitting on the counter, her legs moving back and forth. She smiles.

"You're slow," says she giggling. I walk straight to her and pull her petite body in my arms. I can smell the cinnamon scent all over her hair; I can feel her smiling in my neck.

"So you're having my baby –our little jewel?"

"I still need a confirmation, but I'm about a month late… So yes, I'm having a little us inside my belly."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" There's not reproach in my voice, just curiosity. She looks at me before speaking.

"I was kind of scared… I knew you'd love to have a baby, but I didn't want to give you hope before being a little bit sure about it… I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be, Mrs. Odair. When will you have the confirmation?" I'm eager to know if I'll be father! Whoa! A little baby –my little baby, our little baby! Our little mermaid or maybe we'll have a boy… I don't care! We we'll have a little thing of our own!

"I have to be at the doctor's at four, so I need to get dressed. You stay home and eat the cookies."

"Why can't I go with you?" I whine.

She just smiles and gives me a kiss on the check, "you're overexcited!"

**o0o**

It's been three hours since Annie left home. At first I watched TV but got bored easily –TV's not fun when you're thinking of being father! Then I tried to read something but I ended up bouncing and shrieking, like a little girl, all over the house… If someone knew that _the_ Finnick Odair spent a whole hour doing _that_ because he was overexcited at the idea of being father… Well, I think it's better if people never know about it.

I'm now laying on the couch, legs over the coach's back and feet resting on the wall while my head is a few inches from the floor. My arms are spread wide open at both of my sides on the coach. I'm doing lots of things; one of them is _nothing_.

I then decide that my son/daughter will have a pet to grow up with.

When I was a child my dad brought a dog to home –a golden retriever with brownish-bronze, wavy fur. We grew up together; learnt to swim, learnt to fish, slept together… Until I went to the Hunger Games, at the age of 14 and he stayed back at home. Otter –which was my dog's name because dad said it looked like an otter when wet, was old enough to be dead by then… Well, he was 14 years and golden retriever usually lasts only 10-12 years. Not that I'm complaining, quite the contrary. When I won and arrived home, Otter was pretty worn out. My parents said that every time I was in danger he would bark at the TV, as if to warn me of the danger… Sure he did –I'm alive, am I not? But Otter only lasted three more weeks; two spent on the high seas, the two of us alone, and then the last one back at home. I cried my life away when Otter died… But I knew best than to cry, so I started my life again, without a dog –without a brother. I learned so many things from Otter that I'd love my children to know the same way I did.

I know Annie had a cat when she was a child; I've seen photos at her parents' place and she told me about her cat. Its name was Leela, it was a tawny cat and little Annie was in love with her. They used to sleep together and cuddle in the porch to draw together. I always thought that Annie was girlish enough, but the idea of a little Annie cuddled with a petite cat was just plain sweet… Sharon, Annie's mom, gave me a picture of Leela and Annie together. Annie doesn't know, but I watch that picture from time to time and it makes my heart melt.

Well, now that I think about pets… We may have problems choosing; Annie's from cat's side, whereas I prefer dogs. But, hey, can't our offspring have both? I'll talk to her about it. Well if she comes home some day, you know…

Just then, in the middle of my reveries, the door spread open and Annie walks in grinning. Her long dark, brownish-reddish, wavy hair is falling like a waterfall on her back. She takes off her watery green cardigan and shows a white, knee-length dress. She steps off of her shoes and comes running to me and throws herself to my arms. Of course, due to my position we fall to the floor but she's on top of me.

"Well?" I guess I know the answer, and my smile does it too, but I need her to tell me. She grins again; -well I think she didn't stop at any moment.

"I mistook some things. When I thought that I had my period, I hadn't –it was only a little bleeding. The Doctor said that some women bleed a little during the first month, so I'm two months pregnant, Finnick! We're going to have a baby!" I wrap my arms around her. _Nothing_ will separate me from her, and _less_ now. "Finnick? You okay, Love?" She looks at me, at first her face is covered in shock, but then she smiles and wiped my tears with her thumbs. Usually it's me who wipes her tears, but her tears are of fear, whereas mine are of joy.

"I'm so happy, Annie."

"I'm so happy, too, Finnick."

**o0o**

I'm walking back and forth in this white cage; Mags is sitting in one chair with my parents and parents-in-law. I can't sit, not while Annie is crying and I cannot help her!

"Finnick, you should sit, dearest. Annie's fine so you don't need to worry." Says Sharon. Mags nods and sigh, she knows me too well to think that I'll sit.

"Finnick, sit and wait. You need to relax, son…" Says my mom. It's amazing how you can be a grown man with you're wife giving birth to your child, and still being treated like a kid by your mom… But that's what moms are for, so I sit next to my father and he pats my shoulder.

"I understand how you feel, son, I was just like this when you were born… But you'll do well sitting here and waiting patiently." Says dad.

"And, without you realizing it, you'll be holding your beautiful daughter." Says Ferg, my father-in-law. Since Annie's fifth months we know that we'll be having a daughter. We wanted to paint our baby's room according to its sex; if it were to be a boy, the room would be painted in ocean blue, but since it's a girl we painted it in aqua foam blue –a shade of turquoise with some grey. Her clothes are pure white, or in every shade of blues and greens; like her sheets and other baby stuff she'll need. Mags taught Annie how to knit, and they knitted booties for the baby.

Suddenly a nurse opens the door and smiles at us, "Nervous?" we all nod and she says, "Don't need to be. Annie's fine, so is the baby! Finnick you'll go first. Annie's waiting for you, and we'll bring you the baby as soon as we finish checking her. Congratulations, she's really beautiful." Jenna, the nurse, smiles at me and guide me to my wife's room. "You are a lucky man, Finnick Odair. I always knew!"

"Thanks, Jenna. And thanks for nursing Annie and my daughter, you're amazing." Jenna and I went to school together, so we know each other since we were five. She's not a close friend, but she's not a stranger.

When I enter Annie's room, she's covered by sweat and is tired. I've never seen her more beautiful than in this moment.

"Hey." I say smiling to her. She returns my smile with one of hers.

"Hey." Says she in a whisper, "baby wanted to meet daddy… Wait until the doctor brings her back."

"How is she? I bet she's as beautiful as her mom…" I sound corny, but I cannot help it!

"She sure is your daughter, Finnick; you'll see it when she's here…" I go to sit at the edge of her bed and kiss her forehead. We stay there, looking at each other's eyes until the doctor comes in with our little mermaid in his arms.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Odair," says the man putting the baby in Annie's arms. "I'll leave you three alone. Find me if anything happens." And with that, he's gone.

I keep looking at my two girls; Annie's smiling like I've never saw her before. She's so happy, so really happy that I start to question why we didn't have a baby sooner. I'm so lost in my thoughts that I almost jump when I feel two little hands grabbing my index finger. Smooth, pink little, baby hands grabbing my index finger. My daughter's tiny hands grabbing my index finger. Baby hands and my index finger. I've a daughter. I'm the father of that little thing. She's gorgeous –she's perfect.

"See? I told you she wanted to meet you." Annie giggles and the baby look at her in surprise, then she kind of smile and produce some cute, happy sound herself. Her hands are still holding my index finger. "Want to take her?" I shake my head no; I'm afraid that she would fall if I hold her. "Come on, Finnick!"

"But she's so little…" Annie gives me a stern look; I take the little baby as she did and nurse her in my arms. She's just like a doll –she gurgles happily, as if she had been waiting for me to hold her.

"So she's our granddaughter, huh?" Says dad –don't know when they have entered the room; I was holding my baby!

"Oh my! She is absolutely Finnick's" I can hear the laughter in Sharon's voice.

"I know, right? She's gorgeous!" Annie is giggling merrily –I've never seen her as happy as now; another reason to love this baby.

"And what's her name?" asks Mags. I look at Annie; we have a few names for the baby, but we haven't chosen one yet. Annie pulls me to her and whispers a name in my ear.

"That's the perfect name." I feel every eye on me; even the baby's! "Okay." I clear my voice and smile at Annie, "it's a pleasure for my wife and for me to present to you -our dear family, our beautiful daughter. Please say hello to Teal Odair."

"What a cute name!" Says my mom, walking to me –well, to the baby. "Welcome to our family, little Teal!"

"Cute name, indeed! You only have to look at her eyes to know why you would name her after a colour!" Says Ferg, and we burst laughing.

Now, six months after having our offspring, we're sitting on the porch of our home. Annie is cuddled in my chest, my arm is on her shoulders and Teal is on the floor playing with a stuffed animal –it's a pink, white and purple, striped bunny. Her head is starting to get covered by some kind of bronze, reddish fur –hair may be a strong word for such a light thing. Her eyes are as teal as her own name.

"She's perfect, Annie."

"Not now, but maybe someday we could give her siblings…"

"I'd like that very much, indeed." I smirk, "but we could give her a pet for now. What do you think, Babe?"

"A pet? As in a cat or a dog?"

"Yeah, as in a cat or a dog. I was thinking more as in a dog, though, but I know you love cats."

"She likes both, but a dog would better for her… She's too energetic to have a cat!" Says Annie and it is true enough. Teal's too much of an energetic baby to have a cat; she's always crawling on her own and trying to climb things; a cat is fit to purr and cuddle, whereas a dog is fit to action!

"So how about we give her a puppy dog?"

"I think it's a good idea, but not now; she's still too young… We could give her a dog when she is one year." States Annie and I nod. I was one when Otter came home for the first time. I want her to have a good, beautiful dog. "Finnick! Grab her!" Annie's laughing and Teal is running away –well, technically she's crawling away! I stand up and lift her of the ground before she arrives at the second step.

"Where are you trying to go, little one?" She answers me in baby-language and climbs to my shoulders. Annie stands up and comes to take my hand in hers.

"She wants to go to the beach. We can sit with her at the shore, what do you think?" Although she's asking, she's pulling me to the ocean, so I don't have a choice –not that I would say no to my wife or my daughter.

We arrive at the ocean in less than ten minutes, and sit in the shore. Our clothes are full of sand –wet sand, that's worse. And our baby is taking handfuls of it and throwing it to everywhere; even to her. I hug Annie and pull her closer with one arm, until she's resting on my chest. I'm holding Teal with the other arm in case she decides to crawl to the water; that would be plain dangerous for such a little thing, but I'm eager to teach her to swim when she's older! But now, in this moment, I wish I could stop time… I've never been so happy in my life; my wife, my daughter and the sea that saw me become the man I'm now.

"I love you." I say and Annie smiles.

"I love you, too, Finnick."

"I was talking to my daughter, you little thing…" Annie smacks my arm and laughs. I let a moment go, then speak again; "I love you, Annie."

"Teal loves you too, Finnick." And we can't help but laugh. Maybe it's because our silly joke, or maybe it's because we are happy, really happy. I bet for the second one.

_The End._

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><p><strong>Note:<strong> I'm so sorry if I made mistakes, English is my third language so I don't really rock it properly sometimes... I'm trying, though! Now, speaking of this: I'm searching for a beta for Hunger Games... I already have an amazing Aussie girl to correct my LOTR fics (and if you like the fandom, go and check her fics, her nick is Lady Demiya) but she's ultra busy right now so she can't help me that much with my fics now; and I don't know if she knows about Hunger Games... Anyway, I need a beta who can help me to improve English and guide me through its grammar! Also I expect my beta to be quick correcting (less than a week, if possible). Now **about the fic**: My favourite character in Hunger Games is Annie (and Madge! I have a thing for secondaries...!) and I really think that she deserves some happiness, like Finnick... I cried for two hours when Finnick died, I'm not joking... It was too much for me... So I decided to make a parallel universe where they all are happy. Hope you don't get angry!

Reviews will be welcome, thank you!


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